


To Ease One Another

by RobinPlaysTrumpet15



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sleepy Cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22246081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinPlaysTrumpet15/pseuds/RobinPlaysTrumpet15
Summary: Obi-Wan had witnessed it before, but to say that he noticed it was a little bit of an overstatement.But the clones were very soft with one another.
Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex
Comments: 18
Kudos: 359





	To Ease One Another

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by both a prompt from my beta reader and the background shots of clones being very gentle with one another in the aftermath of a battle. And what better to do with those things than to write a little one shot about two of my favorite clones?
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this.

Obi-Wan had witnessed it before, but to say that he noticed it was a little bit of an overstatement. It was just normal, not something that really required a whole lot of attention or thought. It just was how things were. It wasn’t a bad thing, certainly. It was good more often than not. And mostly, once he _had_ consciously taken note of it, it was cute.

Because the clones were very soft with one another.

Oh, they could be harsh. They could be biting and mean and stern and everything else. But usually, especially after battle or in the middle of the night, they were gentle. They were caring.

Obi-Wan watched the behavior after he stepped off his transport into the base the 501st had captured under General Krell’s leadership. Or lack thereof, as if had actually been.

When the clones comforted one another, they were all soft voices, gentle hands, low tones. Unless they were needed right that second, there were very few encouragements to get up and keep fighting. No, where permitted, there were just understanding acknowledgements. That it sucked. That yes, their brothers should still be there with them. That it hurt. Their voices spoke of knowing that same loss and grief.

He watched as Rex gentled reassuring grasps to many a trooper’s shoulder or arm or neck. Very rarely did Obi-Wan catch the words that were exchanged. But he figured that was as it should be. These were private moments, and Obi-Wan was not a part of them. He could grant the men that small thing.

But even still, he watched as Rex’s shoulders grew stiffer and stiffer. He watched as the crease between the man’s eyebrows deepened until Obi-Wan was sure it might stay that way. Something was cracking in Rex’s eyes and Obi-Wan could feel it in the signature he left within the Force around him. The captain was absolutely willing to be whatever his troops needed him to be, at any given moment. And what he needed would come after.

That was the moment Obi-Wan watched something happen that brought a genuine smile to his face in the wake of the tragedy around him.

Cody left Obi-Wan’s side between one recounting of the events and another. The Jedi Master didn’t notice until he saw the man in white and gold reappear at Rex’s shoulder. He watched from his distance, still taking statements from troopers, as Cody leaned into his brother’s side.

They exchanged words for a moment, Cody clearly speaking in soft tones meant only for his brother’s ears. A gentle hand settled itself on Rex’s shoulder, sliding down to rest at the barely exposed blacks of his bicep between armor plates.

Rex let himself be turned away and led back into the compound.

Obi-Wan let his attention be taken by other things after that. There was still so much to do.

It took a forever version of a long time to take statements, and he wasn’t the only one doing it. But as he was done with troopers, he sent them off either to the barracks in the compound, or off to whatever duties they personally needed to take care of.

But eventually, _finally_ , he was done. Obi-Wan was about ready to crash himself, and had no inclination to head back to the cruiser orbiting the planet. It wouldn’t be worth it with everything that still needed to be done. Not to mention the fact that he had less than two hours before the day began again and he was back to being General Kenobi, the only Jedi left in command of this particular mission.

So he walked himself into the compound in search of the barracks the men had claimed as their own. The accommodations weren’t stellar by any means, but if they were good enough for his men, they were good enough for him. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that his own bunk on the _Negotiator_ wasn’t much more comfortable than what was already here.

He was pointed in the right direction by a couple of men standing together and speaking quietly between themselves.

Most of the men in the barracks were asleep. Those who weren’t were clearly trying, or just enjoying a peaceful, dark room to lie down and rest even if sleep eluded them. A few of them made to get up and salute at the sight of him, but he waved them away, scanning the room for a spare bed.

There was one towards the back. As Obi-Wan made his way over to it, he realized why it had been left empty.

The far bunk was up against the wall. No one had claimed the top one, and both the bottom and top of the one immediately adjacent lay open too. But tucked away, up against the wall, were two bodies - two clones stripped down to their blacks and tangled together in a mess of limbs.

He wondered briefly about this decision of sharing a bed, which he’d never seen troopers do before. But then he recognized the buzzed blond hair and the standard close-cropped black and knew immediately who it was.

Rex lay between Cody and the wall, back pressed to cold metal and front flush against his brother. Cody had a hand pillowing his head, his elbow pillowing Rex’s. The bunks were hardly sizable enough to warrant one person’s use, but the two of them were making it work. Somehow. Obi-Wan could see where they were knocking knees and squished against one another just to fit.

And to be perfectly honest, it took every inch of his willpower not to smile and coo. Because sue him, it was cute. It was pure and touching and spoke of a deep level of care and intimacy between the two that was not usually on display.

He should turn away. He should find an empty bunk somewhere else, because clearly they needed their space to just exist as the two of them. And he was willing to give them that.

But then Rex’s eyes were open and he clearly hadn’t been asleep, despite how exhausted he seemed. He lifted his head, attempting for a whole second to try and get up, eyes wide and fixed on Obi-Wan. But then that attempt failed because Cody really was asleep, and his grip seemed locked on Rex in a way that betrayed how unlikely he was to let go. Even dead to the world.

“General,” Rex tried to say, though his voice just sort of croaked out of him.

Obi-Wan’s heart fractured a little, recognizing the sound of a person who had been crying.

But he shook his head, approaching just a few steps more so he could whisper and be heard. No point in disturbing the rest of the room, too.

“It’s alright,” he told Rex softly. “Just came to catch a little shuteye myself, actually.”

Rex still seemed uncertain, his amber brown eyes flickering between Cody and Obi-Wan.

“We can-” he started to offer, shifting once again like he might try to get up.

Then Cody’s voice growled out, “go to sleep, vod.” He was clearly still asleep, and Obi-Wan found himself holding in a laugh. He would pay good credits to have a recording of Cody sleep talking in any other situation. Force knew the man had plenty of blackmail on Obi-Wan.

He was proud of himself when he was able to swallow the laughter and keep it to a fond tone in his voice when he spoke again.

“No, that’s not necessary,” he said. “You two are fine exactly where you are.”

Rex hesitated before nodding his head a little and replacing it on Cody’s arm.

“I do want to give you two your space,” he said, knowing Rex’s eyes were still on him, “but would you mind if I crashed on the cot next to yours?”

Rex shook his head immediately, his eyelids drooping a little lower than before.

“No, General. You’re welcome to it.”

Obi-Wan smiled, settling himself onto the cot.

“Thank you, Rex.”

As he lay down, not even bothering to take the time and remove his sparse armor or boots, he reached out a little in the Force, feeling for Rex’s and Cody’s signatures. They were similarly chipped and cracked, damaged and distressed - hurting. But even as they lay there together, Obi-Wan could feel a certain warmth and contentment settle around them both. It didn’t truly heal any of their pain, but they eased it for one another. Just by simply being there.

Obi-Wan knew he was smiling as he fell asleep.

The world could probably learn a thing or two from the clones.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. I'd love to hear what you thought, so comments and kudos are always appreciated. Thanks again!


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